Animal trap



ANIMAL TRAP Filed April 14, 1934 2 Sl'leetS-.Sheet l April 9, 1935- E.M. LONG u 1,996,872

ANIMAL TRAP Filed April l4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 9, 19351,996,872 n ANIMAL TRAP- dwin M. Long, Cadiz, Ohio Application April 14,1934-, serial No. 720,638

' 1o claims.k (o1. i3- 61)v Thisl invention relates to animal traps andhas for its object to provide an inexpensive, durableY and thoroughlyefficient device of this'character f which is humane in operation inthat vit will trap 5* or catch' any kind of animal and hold it captiveWithout killing, or `rinfany 'manner injuring, the

animal.

A'further' object of the'invention is to provideV atrap'which is simplein construction andposi- "i tivein action and'v from which a captiveanimal cannot escape after having once entered the trap until, orunless, voluntarily released by the owner or' attendant. f

A further object is to provide a trap, the"c0n` struction of which' issuch .that a captive animal may be 'used as a bait for 'enticing otheranimals Within the" trap', especially during the mating season, so thata large number. of animals may becaught without the necessity ofconstantly resetting the trap.

'A further object is to provide the' opposite ends of the trap withspring-actuated doors normally heldin open or partially open position bya novel form of trigger mechanism which is operatively connected with"a-depressible treadle located within the trap' between said doorswhereby, when an animal enters the trap from either end thereoff,tlieweight of the animal will actuate the treadle to release-the triggermechanism an'df automatically close the door and preven sponding partsin all the figures ofr the drawings.A

Figure 1l is a vperspective View of an animal trap embodying theinvention and showing the same anchored in position on the ground.

Figure 24 isA a vertical' longitudinal sectional View. V Y

- Figure 3 is@ a transverse sectional-view taken on'fthe line 3?-1?Yof-F`igure 2. f 2 Figu'rel isf a horizontal sectional view' taken-Figure 5:- is; a detailsecuonar View showingthe ,i mannerof connectingvthe flexible cable with' the Figure 6 is avertical sectional viewillustratingv a modified form of the invention.

Y, Figure '7 isla similar View illustrating a fur'- therrmodication.

r-he improved animal trap, forming the sub- 5 ject-matter of the'presentinvention; comprises anelongatedl body portion or receptacle 5 preff`erably formed' of sheet metallalthough, if desired, the receptacle maybe constructed of heavy wire f netting or other suitable material. Thebody portion l5 is preferably curved transversely at its top and isformed with a flat bottom 6, said receptacle having an entrance 'opening'l at each end thereof, asfshown. Secured to the opposite ends ofthereceptacle 5` are end frames 8 which may'` besoldered, riveted orotherwise secured to the walls of the receptacle and each frame 8 ispreferably'reinforced and strengthened by an auxiliary frame 9constructedI of heavy Wire'and having its upper portion flattenedv toform a` supporting ledge I0 to which is riveted or otherwise secured atIl to a plate l2 having a terminal eye i3. Disposed at each end ofthetrap is a swing-V ing door or closure t4 of the construction best shownin Figure 4 ror the drawings, said doorsA being provided with reducednecks l5 terminating in pintle eyes l-6 whichxregister with the eyes I3tov permit the passage of a pintle pin Il, thereby toy permitthe doorsto swing freely to open or closed position'.A The lower edges of the,doors are preferably scalloped to form teeth I8 which cc? act with anIinclined or wedge-shaped plate f I9 secured to the bottom of the trapatk eachenf trance opening and serveto prevent ananimal fro-mrforcingits way out through the adjacent openingV when thedoor is closed. VTofurther assist in' preventing theescape of a captive animal fromI thetrap, the inclined surface of each plate 9 is preferably provided withone or more upstanding spurs 20. Secured to the inner face of each kdooris a hollow guide 2l which slidably receives the adjacent end of a flatspring 22, the inner end of which is riveted or otherwise rigidlysecured at 23A to the adjacent end'frame 3 of the. receptacle, thetendency of the spring being to normally force the doorl downwardly toclosed position. Disposed within the trap, in spaced relation to'v eachdoor opening, is a-ho-llow arcu-v ate brace :24 and securedl toandsupported on the transverse member 25"of each brace is one end of 50x latrigger 2-, the oppositezend of which extends acrossv a cut-awayyportion 21'in the member 25.`

'and into va conduit 2'8 secured in any suitable manner Ato the'exterior 'wall of the trap. .One of the teeth liof each door ispreferably longer :than

the others, as indicated at 29 and is adapted to rest on the trigger 26so as to hold the doors open when the trap'is in set position.

,e Disposed at the center of the trap is a depressible trip ortrigger,preferablyformed of two sections 30 and 3| having their adjacentendspivotally united by a transverse rod 32, the opposite ends of'whichproject upwardly within guides 33 secured in any suitable manner to theinner walls of the trap. The sections 36 and 3l of the treadle aresecured to leaf springs 34, the ends of which are slidably mounted inloopsor keepers secured to the bottom of Athe receptacle 5 so that afterthe sections 3E! and 3l are depressed by the` weight of an animal, thespring 34 will returnthe sections toY elevated or operative positionnSecured to the upstanding end of each pin 32 is one end cfa flexiblecable 36, theopposite 'end of( which extends through the adjacent tubeor conduit 28 and is fastened in anysuitable manner to the end of theadjacenttriggerrZB so that, when the "treadle vis depressed, theVtriggers 26 will be moved laterally and thus releasethe doors and permitthem to automatically move to closed position. Secured to thel freer endof each trigger Visgvan operating rod or wiref! terminating in a ball oringer piece 38 so thatby exerting alongitudinal pull on the finger piece38, the triggers may be moved laterally to permit the adjacent door tobe swung upwardly and cleark the trigger. When the pull on the iingerpiece 38 is released, the trigger will automatically engage the long`tooth 29 on thedoor and hold the door in open position. The outersurface of each door is preferably provided with a substantiallyIU-shaped member 39 having terminal spurs 4U which coast with the teethi3 on thedoor to assist in preventing an animal from attempting to crawlunder the door'in an effort to escape from the trap.

The trap may be securedeither to the ground or to a float in a river orother body of water, and in order to prevent displacement of the trap,the'bottom thereof is provided with av transverse bar 4l having terminalloops 42 pivotally connected therewith and adapted to receive spikes orpegs 43 which may be driven into the ground or into the surface of theiioat to securely anchor the trap in position. The trap is alsopreferably vprovided with a suitable handle 44, by means of which thetrapmay be convenientlyecarried from place to place. Thertrap is alsopreferably provided with ashoulder strap 44 having terminal snapfasteners 44 adapted to detachably engage the loops 42 to assist incarrying the trap. The ends of the tube or conduit preferably fit withinclips 475 secured tothe exterior of the trap and` openings 46 are formedin the trap adjacent said clips to permit the passage. of thetrigger-release rods 3l. A, y

In operation, the doors are swung upwardly to open position against thetension of the springs 22 and in which position they are held inengagement with the triggers 26, as best shown in Figure 2 of thedrawings. bait may be placed Within the trap adjacent the vtreadle andshould an animal enter the trap from either end thereof in an attempt-to get at-the bait, the weight -of the animal will depress the treadlethereby exerting a pull on the operating cables 36and releasing thetriggers 26 so that the doors will inovefdownwardly under the influenceof the springs 21 to closed position and thus hold the animal captive.lIt will here be noted that the' capture of the animal is effectedvwithout killing or inV any manner injuring the If desired, a` suitablesoon as they pass'the doors thereby holding allV When itis `de,

ofthe animals Within the cage; sired'to reset the trap, it is merelynecessary to exerta longitudinal pull on the finger piece 38 of thev rod31, and swing the doors upwardly,

when, byrreleasing the nger piece 38, the trigger 26 will engage thelong tooth 29 of the adjacent door and hold said ydoor in open positionand the. trap in condition to receive otherV animals.

In Figure V6 Y of the drawing'spthere is illus-' trated a modified formof the invention in which.

the body portion or receptacle 5n ismade somewhat shorter-than thereceptacle shown in .Figure 'l ofthe drawings.` In this case only oneendY of the receptacle is open and controlled by a door 41,1.the otherVend of the trap'being preferably closed by'ra plate glass mirror 48 ,sothat an animal approaching the trap will' see. his reection inY themirror and thus think that ,other` Y animals'are yalready in the trapand that itis perfectly safe to enter thefsame. If desired, however,instead of 'employing a mirror asa closure for one` end of'the trap,said closure may` be formed-of transparent or 'translucent glass or, ifdesired, mesh wire.

A' further modification of the'inventionisn-' lustrated in Figure 7 ofthe drawings in which. the body or receptacle of the trap, as Well astheV end Wall 49 thereof, is formed of heavyjwiremesh materialindicatedatl 50. ,Inthis form of the device, the depressible treadle and triggermech-` anism isY dispensed with,`the door 5| being normally and-yieldably held in closed position byY a leaf spring 52. `Ifl an animalattempts to effectA an entrance to this form of trap, it will pressinwardly against the door 5IV thereby swinging the door inwardly andupwardly and'permitting the animal to enter. As soon Vas the anlmalhascleared the door, however, the latterwwill' automatically `swingdownwardlyl to closed position" and the teeth or serrations on thebottom of the,

door will prevent the animal from effecting an escape. It will, ofcourse, be 'understood that the traps may be made in different sizesAand shapes and'constructed of any suitable material without departingfrom the spiritof theinvention.

Having thus described the invention, I claim;

l. An animal trap including areceptacle Vhaving an open end, a door forclosing said open end, a'brace secured to the receptacle and having acut-away portion, a trigger secured to said brace and extending overlsaid cut-away por-V tion, said trigger being adapted to engage thedoor' and hold the latter normally in open position, a depressibletreadle disposed Within the receptacle, and means forming-an operativelconnection between the treadleandtrigger 'whereby when the treadleisidepressed the trigger `will be released to permit automatic closingof.the door. l

2.`An animal trap including a receptacle ing an open end, a door forclosing said open end and provided with a tooth, a brace within thereceptacle and having a portion thereof cutaway, a resilient triggersecured to the brace and extending over the cut-away portion thereof andengaging the tooth of the door for normally holding the door in openposition, a depressible treadle, a flexible connection between thetreadle and trigger for releasing the trigger to permit closing of thedoor,` and means connected with the trigger for manually releasing saidtrigger.

3. An animal trap including a receptacle having an open end, a framesurrounding the open end of the receptacle, a reinforcing memberdisposed within the frame, a plate secured to the reinforcing member, adoor pivotally connected with the plate and provided with a guide, aspring having one end thereof secured to the receptacle and its otherend slidably mounted in the guide, a trigger engaging thedoor fornormally holding the door in open position, a depressible memberdisposed within the receptacle, and an operative connection between thedepressible member and trigger whereby the weight of an animal on thedepressible member will release the trigger and permit closing of thedoor.

4. An animal trap including a receptacle hav-V 'ing an open end, a framesurrounding the open end of the receptacle, a reinforcing memberdisposed within the frame and having a ledge, a Wedge-shaped membersecured to the bottom of the receptacle beneath said ledge, a platesecured to the ledge, a doorvpivotally connected with the plate, aspring forming a connection between the door and receptacle, atransverse brace disposed within the receptacle, the lower end of thedoor being provided with teeth, one of which is longer than the others,a trigger secured to the brace and adapted to engage the long toothA ofthe door for holding the door normally in open position, a depressiblemember arranged within the receptacle, and a flexible connectionbetweenV the depressible member and trigger whereby the weight of ananimal on the depressible member will release Vthe trigger and vpermitclosing of the door.

5. An animal trap including a receptacle having an open end, aspring-actuated door normally closing the open end of the receptacle, aconduit secured to the exterior of the receptacle, a trigger mountedwithin the receptacle and adapted to engage the do`or for holding thedoor Vnormally in open position, a depressible treadle arranged withinthe receptacle, a ilexible connection having one end thereof connectedto the treadle and its other end extended through the conduit andengaging the trigger whereby the weight of an animal on the treadle willdepress the same and release the trigger to permit closing of the doorand manually operable means for releasing the trigger independently ofthe treadle.

6. An animal trap including a receptacle having an open end, a door forclosing said open end, a depressible treadle disposed within thevreceptacle and including mating sections, a pin forming a pivotalconnection between said sections and having an upturned end, a conduitdisposedon the outside of the receptacle, a trigger adapted toengage andhold the door in an open position, and a flexible cable forming aconnection between the upturned end of the pinfand the adjacent end ofthe trigger for releasing the latter when said treadle is depressed bythe and its other end with the trigger, and a rod connected with one endof the trigger and provided with a nger piece whereby .the trigger maybe released from engagement with the door.

8. An animal trap including a receptacle having its opposite ends open,inwardly swinging pivotally mounted doors forming closures for theopposite, ends of the receptacle, a trigger coactng with each door fornormally holding the doors in open position, a treadle disposed withinthe trap betweenthe doors, flexible cables connected with the treadleand said triggers for releasing the triggers 'to permit closing of thedoors when the treadle is depressed and manually operable means forreleasing the triggers independently of the treadle. L

9. An animal trap including a receptacle having its opposite ends open,inwardly swinging pivotally mounted doors forming closures for theopposite ends of the receptacle, a treadle arranged within thereceptacle and including coacting sections, springs slidably mounted onthe bottom of the receptacle and secured to the sections with the endsof the springs bent to form eyes, a rod extending through said eyes andhaving its opposite ends provided with upstanding terminals, conduitsextending longitudinally of the receptacle, triggers coacting with thedoors, and exible cables each having one end thereof secured totheadjacent upstanding terminal andthe other end thereof secured to theadjacent tri'ggenand manually operable releasing means foreach trigger.

10. An animal trap including a receptacle hav-I ing an open end, aninwardly swinging door pivotally mounted at the open end of thereceptacle, a spring forming a connection between the receptacle anddoor, the lower end of said door being scalloped to form teeth, awedge-shaped member secured to the bottom of the receptacle and coactingwith the teeth of the door to prevent escape .of an animal from thetrap, and spurs secured to the inclined surface of said memlber andprojecting upwardly within the trap in4

